Improvement in furnaces



J. H. MEARNS.

Furnace.

Patented 0ct. 16, 1866.

In 0 en 50 My imm graphcr. wnmn mm. D. c.

. declare the following to be a full, clear, and

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES II. MEARNS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FURNACES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent- No. 58,863, dated October 16, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J. H. MEARNS, of Phil'- adelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Heaters; and Ido hereby exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists in certain devices constructed and arranged within the ash-pit of a heater, as fully described hereinafter, so that the fire maybe raked and the ashes sifted and sorted with little labor, and without the necessity'of opening the doors.

Myinvention further consists of certain fines communicating with the ash-pit and with the cylinder above the fire-box, so that the finer dust and ashes may be carried from the ashpit to the chimney.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction .and operation.

011 reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of in y'im proved heater; Fig. 2, a section on the line 1 2, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a section on the line 3 4, Fig. 1.

A A B B are the brick walls of the heater, and to the front wall, A, are hung doors a a, the former closing the entrance to the fire-box C, and thelatter the entrance to the ash-pit D, below the tire-box.

The interior of the fire-box is oval -in form, as shown in Fig. 3, and above the same is a metal cylinder or casing, E, which communicates through a pipe, F, with the chimney.

On ledges m, Fig. 1, in the sides a c of the ash-pit rest the ends of a rod or bar, G, which is connected by a link, (I, to an arm, 0, on a shaft, H, thelatter extending through the side wall, 13, and having secured to its outer end an arm, f.

The grate P of the heater consists of detachable bars i i t, which are connected at their rear ends to the rod G, the forward ends of the bars resting on the cranked portion of a crank-shaft, I, which extends through the side wall, B, and has secured to its outer end an arm, j.

To an arm, 6, attached to the shaft H, is secured a cross-bar, G, to which is hung the rear end of a grate, J, the latter being inclined toward the front of the ash-pit, where it rests on a bar, K. The bar K is hinged at one end to a plate at one side of the ash-pit, the opposite end resting on a lug, It, at the opposite side of the ash-pit, for a purpose described hereinafter.

With each side of the ash-pitcommunicates an opening, m, which extends through the side walls of the fireplace, and communicates with the interior of the casing E; and in each openin g is a slide-valve or damper, a, which is operated by means of a rod, 0, extending through the front wall, A. The ash-pit D extends beyond the front wall, A, and in phis portion of the pit, which is covered by a door, (0 is a bucket, L.

hen the fire requires to be raked, the at tendant closes the doors are a of the fireplace and aslrpit, draws out the rods 0, so as to af ford a free communication between the ash-pit and easing through the opening m, and imparts avibrating motion to the shaft H by means of the arm f, so as to move the grate J and the gratebars i rapidly back and forth. As the coals in the fire-box are shaken by the movement of the bars, the cinders are broken up and fall, with the loose dust and ashes, between the bars onto the inclined grate or sifter J, the ashes falling through the latter to the bottom of the aslrpit, while the halt burned cinders or coals slide down the inclined grate, and from the latter into the bucket L. The finer particles of dust which are not'carried directly downward by their weight are carried by the draft into the openings m, and through the latter into the casing E, from which they pass through the pipe F to the chimney.

When the fire-box is to be cleaned, the crank-shaft I is turned by means of the arm j, so that the front ends of the bars 1' i will be lowered to the position shown in red lines, Fig. 1. The arm fis then moved back and forth, when the coals will be shaken from the bars, and will fall onto the grate or sifter J and into the bucket L, the smaller particles passing through the grate and into the ash-pit, as before described.

When the ash-pit is to be cleaned, the front end of the grate J is raised, and the bar K is turned upward against the side of the ash-pit, so as to support the grate in its elevated posi tion, as shown in red lines, Fig. 1. Suitable implements for withdrawing the ashes may then be introduced into the pit below the grate.

It will be seen that by means of the devices above described the fire may be thoroughly raked and the ashes sifted and sorted with little labor, and without the necessity of opening the doors during the operation, the escape of the dust from the ash-pit being thus prevented.

Without confining myself to the precise devices herein described for operating the bars and grate,

I claim as myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The grates P and J, in combination with the shaft H, its arms 6 e, and link (I, or their equivalent, the whole being arranged within the ash-pit of a heater,and operating substantially as and for the purpose described. 2. The fines or openings mm, communicating with the ash-pit, and with the casing above the fireplace, for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the crank-shaft I, the sliding bars i t, and the shaft H, its arms 6 e, and link d, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The adj ustable bar K, in combination with the lower grate or sifter, J, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sub-' scribing witnesses. 7

J AMES H. MEARNS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. Fosrnn, JOHN WHITE. 

